Surviving Shift Work 2indd

Edition
2008
A Publication of the Center for American Nurses. An independent American Nurses Association Affiliate.
Surviving Shift Work
By Diane E. Scott, RN, MSN
“We were working night-shift together as usual: just three nurses on a
busy rehab department. One morning, my co-worker was driving the
short distance to her home and fell asleep behind the wheel of her car. She
suffered multiple fractures and her life was never the same again.” Susan,
RN, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Regrettably, countless nurses who have worked shifts can relate to this
true story. Shift work, generally described as working outside daylight
hours, is difﬁcult physically and mentally but is inherent to many health-
care positions. Approximately 30% of the nursing population is employed
in shift work (Hughes & Stone, 2004). However difﬁcult, shift work is
preferred by numerous nurses. Some nurses prefer shift work for the ﬂex-
ibility of their home lives, while others count on the monetary beneﬁts
that often accompany working in the evening and during the night.
Regardless of the reason why a nurse chooses a position that requires shift
work, working non-daylight hours can be detrimental to a nurse’s health.
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) states that shift workers experience
more untoward health effects such as high blood pressure, menstrual ir-
regularities, colds and weight gain more than day shift workers.
Patient Safety
The correlation between medical errors and shift work is beginning to
demand national attention. In a recent study by Dr. T. Akerstedt, over
The Center for 50% of shift workers report severe decreased alertness when on the job
American Nurses (2005). Nurses who work successive night shifts are particularly at risk
is a professional for medical errors. Findings complied from several research studies state
association whose that the risk of medical errors compounds with each successive off shift
mission is to create a healthcare worker works. On average, the error rate increase 6% after
healthy work the second night shift, 17% higher the third successive night shift and an
environments astounding 35% higher on the fourth night shift. (Folkard et al., 2005).
through advocacy,
education, and
research.
A Publication of the Center for American Nurses. An independent American Nurses Association Affiliate.
The Circadian Clock
Nurses need to learn as much as they can about the physiology of sleep. Learning to survive shift work
starts by understanding sleep and the methods to counteract the negative affects of working while the rest
of the world is asleep. Understanding the circadian clock is the ﬁrst step.
The circadian clock is the human body’s natural tendency to follow a 24 hour cycle. This internal pattern
is strongly regulated by light and dark with most people yearning for sleep between the hours of mid-
night and 6 AM. The circadian clock controls the body temperature, hormones, heart rate and other body
functions. As a result, according to the National Sleep Foundation, 10-20% of shift workers report falling
asleep on the job. The problems often extend into the daylight as many shift workers ﬁnd it difﬁcult to
sleep soundly for adequate periods when returning home.
Taking Control of Sleep
The ﬁrst step to taking control of sleep is to learn to make sleep a priority. Shift working nurses need to
teach their bodies how to fall asleep and remain sleeping for long periods of uninterrupted times. Fol-
lowing the clues from the circadian clock, nurses can learn to counteract the affects of daylight whenever
returning home after working a night shift. The NSF recommends that nurses wear wrap around sun
glasses when driving home so the body is less aware that it is daylight.
Rotation Patterns
Nurses who work in permanent shifts can utilize principle of reentrainment to alter their lives at home
and work so their body is accustomed to being the most alert during the evening hours and into the eve-
ning. Reentrainment may take weeks to develop and social activities may be difﬁcult as the majority of
society is awake during the daylight, not at night (Berger & Hobbs, 2006).
When scheduling shift that rotate, nurses should consider working forward rotating shifts whenever
possible. Working in a pattern of daylight, evening then nights or, in the case of 12 hour shifts, working
daylight shifts prior to nighttime shifts helps to maintain the body’s circadian rhythm. (Berger & Hobbs,
2006).
The following are tips that help set the stage for sound sleep even during daytime hours.
Bedroom Design. Design the bedroom to accommodate daylight sleeping.
• Install room darkening shades to cover all windows.
• Decrease the room temperature.
A Publication of the Center for American Nurses. An independent American Nurses Association Affiliate.
• Consider earplugs to block outside noises and eyeshades to decrease light sources.
• Place a “do not disturb sign” on the outside of the bedroom door and front door.
• Create guidelines for families to eliminate noise and interruptions during sleep such as television
watching and noisy outside playing.
• Unplug the telephone.
Food and Exercise
• Avoid caffeine for at least ﬁve hours prior to sleeping. Consider all sources of caffeine, including
chocolate, energy drinks, gum and sodas.
• Choose nutritious food to eat during the shift to avoid large ﬂuctuations in blood sugar.
• Do not eat a heavy meal prior to bedtime.
• Avoid alcohol prior to sleep.
• Do not plan exercise prior to sleeping as it raises the body temperature, heart rate and tends to ener-
gize the body.
Staying Alert during Work
The National Sleep Association states that people who work night shift tend to hit their most tired period
at 4 AM, so it can be helpful to plan the most stressful activities around that time.
The following tips can be done to encourage alertness during night shift:
• Schedule short breaks as often as possible throughout the shift.
• Exercise when feeling fatigue, such as climbing a set of stairs or taking a walk to the cafeteria.
• Avoid unhealthy foods during the shift.
• Develop a system to monitor the fatigue levels among the members of the team.
• Never rely on dangerous medications to enhance alertness.
• Develop a partner system that serves as a check and balance when completing tasks during periods of
fatigue.
The Drive Home
The dangers of driving under the inﬂuence of alcohol is well known throughout the world, however,
driving after shift work can be extremely dangerous as well. A 2006 Institute of Medicine report on Sleep
Disorders and Deprivation stated that almost 20 percent of all serious car crash injuries in the general
population are associated with driver sleepiness, independent of alcohol effects. Many nurses will open
the car windows and turn the volume of the radio up to combat fatigue, but, according to the NSF, studies
have proven that these methods do not work. In fact, these actions should signal that one are dangerously
fatigued and need to pull over immediately.
A Publication of the Center for American Nurses. An independent American Nurses Association Affiliate.
The NSF has offered the recommendation for driving after shift work:
• Carpool if possible and keep a dialogue with the person who is driving.
• Take public transportation if possible.
• Drive defensively
• Don’t stop for a night cap.
Ignoring fatigue signs can be dangerous. Taking deliberate steps to understand and control the bodies natu-
ral rhythms is essential to the health and well being of nurses and the patients they care for.
References
Akerstedt, T. (2005) Shift work and sleep disorders. Sleep, 28, 9-11.
Berger, Ann M. & Hobbs, Barbara B (2006). Impact of Shift Work on the Health and Safety of Nurses and
Patients. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, Vol. 10 (4), p465-471.
Folkard, S., Lombardi, D. A., & Tucker, P.T. (2005). Shiftwork: Safety, sleepiness and sleep. Industrial
Health, 43, 20-23.
Hughes, R., & Stone, P. (2004). The perils of shift work: Evening shift, night shift, and rotating shifts: Are
they for you? American Journal of Nursing, 104(9), 60-63.
Institute of Medicine. (2006) Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem.
Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
The National Sleep Foundation. www.sleepfoundation.org
* The Center for American Nurses, established in 2003, offers tools, services, and strategies designed to
make nurses their own best advocates in their practice environments. Through research, education, and
advocacy, the Center offers resources to more than 44,000 nurses, visit www.centerforamericannurses.org.